Mod chip or swap for U.S. PS2's to play Japanese..

games? I ordered VF4 on the premise that I could borrow my bro's Japanese PS2. Unfortunately it was stolen and now I pretty much have no way to play the game unless there is a mod chip or technique that will let me play the game on a U.S. PS2. Can anyone give me some advice? I'm really desparate as 1/31 is coming soon.

AFAIK, there is no safe way to play Japanese PS2 games on a US system, and all of the mod chips out there are extremely dangerous to install and only run CDRs.
There was a chip called Messiah in the works to allow play of imports, but Sony's got it held in legal limbo...
As a side note, I must add that I find it hilarious how people will risk seriously damaging a $300 system just to play CDRs. Um, wouldn't just be cheaper and easier to just buy a real copy of the game?

As a side note, I must add that I find it hilarious how people will risk seriously damaging a $300 system just to play CDRs. Um, wouldn't just be cheaper and easier to just buy a real copy of the game?

I'm not a big fan of theft, but you have to admit there's some appeal in free imports for life (if you have a fast internet connection and a CD burner).

.....
as for modding, it isn't really a 50/50 proposition, it just requires competence.
If you've never done it before and are nervous and have never seen a soldering iron, etc etc... hand it off to someone who knows what they're doing.

Of course it would be better to just buy the game, but Sony has taken that option from us. Sega worked hard to make VF4 and they did good work to make this conversion. They deserve our money. However, due to ridiculous lockout schemes, I cannot give sega my money for the game I want, not without waiting 3-4 months. Instead I'm forced to give some shady upstart my money for a modchip, go through the tedious and risky hassle of modding my PS2, then go through the equally tedious process of finding a copy of the game on the web and downloading hundreds of megs. There's usually a swap trick involved too, unless you got one of those chips that requires 40 soldering points.

All of this because someone's just GOTTA have their licensing fees. Assholes.

(PS: I use "I" in a loose sense. I don't even have the money for a mod chip, nor the urge to fool with it. I'll be waiting four months. Sucks.)